Toboggan



J. PUSEY.

(No Model.)

TOBOGGAN.

No. 359,741. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

INI/ENTOR llhvrrnn @rares atri-init @terreni JOSHUA PUSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TBOGGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,71-1, dated March 22, 1887.

Application tiled December Sl, 1886. Serial No. 921,0674 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA PUsEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and count-y of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toboggans, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, of Which- Figure 1 is an oblique perspective view. Fig. 2 is atransverse section. Fig. Sis a similar section showing longitudinal corrugations 1 and a modification of the lateral ilanges or hand-holds. Fig. Il is a like sectionshowing another modification ofthe form ofsaid flanges, the same being turned up and inwardly. Fig. 5 is another modification of the flanges, the same being at right angles to the bottom or body of the toboggan, with longitudinal slots for the hand-holes. This ligure shows also the cross-slats which I sometimes use, as hereinafter explained.

Lilie letters of reference, where they appear in the several igures, designate like parts.

ilIy invention relates particularly to that variety of coasting or sledding vehicles known as toboggana which consist of athin wooden board or a number of narrow boards or slats secured together and curled over at the frontend to form the hoodj side rails elevated above the top of the board being secured to the latter by thongs or otherwise, so as to serve as a hand-hold for the tobogganers.

As a toboggan slides with great speed over a sometimes uneven surface and frequently strikes against obstructions, it isdesirablethatit should combine the qualities of strength, durability, and elasticity, together with lightness and smoothness in as high a degree as possible.

It may also be added that it is desirable that a toboggan should be made of a material thatis notliable to splinter or break into sharppointed pieces in case of accident or collision.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a toboggan that shall, while exccl ling in all these qualities, be simple and economical in construction, and one in which the usual nails or screws and thongs (which are subjected to great strain and working) may be entirely dispensed with.

A minor feature of the invention has forits object to provide an improved device for preventing the toboggans from running backward down the trackway when nsed upon the conrses-such as described in my Letters Patent Nos. A318,025 and 318,026, both dated May 19,1885; also to provide a ready means for guiding and braking the toboggans.

The improvement consists, iirst, in a toboggan constructed of paper or paper-board made hard and compact, and also practically waterproof.

It consists, secondly, in a toboggan having its sides turned up to 'form stiiening-anges, which serve at the same time for a hand-hold for the occupants of the toboggan, the entire toboggan being composed of an integral sheet of compacted waterproofed paper or paperboard, or similar strong and elastic material adapted to be molded or compressed into shape.

It consists, thirdly, in a toboggan formed of a sheet of compacted water-prooi' paper or paper-board, or similar material, corrugated longitudinally, so as to stiften the toboggan, and at the same time present less frictional surface to the trackway than if the same were plane.

It consists, fourthly, in lthe combination, with a toboggan, of a gravity-operated pawl, pivoted to the side of the toboggan and adapted to prevent the latter from running backward,Y as hereinbefore stated, said pawl being also provided with a handle, by which the pawl may be depressed so as to be brought to bear forcibly against the trackway, and thus guide the toboggan, as hereinafter specilied.

It consists, iinally, in certain minor details of constructiomthat will be hereinafter pointed Out.

In carrying out my invention in its simplest form I take a plain sheet, of about the usual length of a toboggan, and, say, about a quarter-inch thick, and, say, twelve to twenty-four inches wide, of compacted paper or paperboard Waterproofed throughout by means of resin or other suitable substance adapted for the purpose, with which the paper is impregnated. This sheet I turn up at the forward end to form the usual hood, 71, of the toboggan.

IOO

Any suitable handheld may be secured to the lateral edges ofthe sheet. In order, however, to provide such hand-hold as an integral part of the said sheet S, I pass the latter, while in suitably soft or plastic condition, between dies or rollers, or other devices, which will form flanges f, Figs. l and 2, projecting up and beyond the top of the sheet, which flanges, it will be seen, serve as a convenient handhold for the occupants of the toboggan. Being elevated above the surface of the latterthat is, above the trackway-the ngerswhich grasp underneath the outwardlyprojecting part of said flange, are prevented from coming into contact with the traclrway. These flanges serve, also, to stiffen the toboggan. As it is not necessary that the part of the sheet forming the hood 7L should be thus lianged, the anges may be omitted therefrom, and especially as said flanges would interfere with the easy curling over to form the hood.

Instead of making the bottom or body of the toboggan a plain sheet, I sometimes prefer to mold or compress the latter between suitable rollers or dies in a manner to corrugatethe sheet longitudinally, as indicated by the crosssection, Fig. 3.

The form of the upturned flanges and handholds may be modified in numerous waysas, for instance, in Fig. 4, wherein they are bent and curved inwardly; or, as in Fig. 5, wherein the anges are simply turned straight up, and'provided with longitudinal slots a for the hand, or through which ropes to form. loops for holds may be passed or secured, if desired; or, (when the material will `safely admit the requisite bending) as in Fig. 3, wherein the side of the sheet is rst bent inwardly on itself, then upward and curving outwardly, the outer side of the curve being suliiciently within the edge of the bottom of the toboggan, so that the hands grasping the curved flange will be protected in case the side edge of the to"` boggan should strike a raised obstruction or against the side of the usual chutes of artificial toboggan-slides.

In order to give tothe scat a frictional` surface, and thus better prevent the tobogganers from slipping, the top part of the sheet of paper-board, 85o., may be roughened in any suitable manner; or slats t, Fig. 5, extending at intervals across the bottom or seat and having their ends secured to the lateral flanges by means of screws 12,01' otherwise, may be provided. These slats serve also to hold and stiften said. flanges.

Paper-board, when sufficiently hardened, compacted, and waterproofed, is well adapted for the construction of my improved toboggan, by reason of its capability of wearing smooth and the other qualities hereinbefore recited, and is desirable on account of its comparatively low cost.

In order to secure an automatic stop, to prevent the toboggan from running backward under certain circumstances, as hereinbefore mentioned, and also to provide a handy brake` orguide for the toboggan, I pivot onthe out-` side of the vertical part of the flange f, Figs. 1 and 6, underneath the outwardly-proj ecting portion. of the latter, a` gravitypawl, p, ar ranged and constructed as shown, so that while not interfering withthe forward movement of the toboggan, yet the instant the latter starts to run backward the pawl is ready to drop and catch into the trackway, and thus check the backward movement of the toboggan. This pawl is also prevented from being turned too far forward by means. of a forward projection, p', thereon, which, impinging against the under side `of the overhanging part of the ilange,

limits such forward motion or rotation of the i pawl. The projection p serves, also, as a han-` dle for operating the pawl, so as to constitute a brake, if necessary, or a guide to alter the course of the toboggan. I provide one of the described devices on each side of the latter, located so as to be convenient to the steerer, and it is obvious that bypressing upward one of the handles, and thereby forcing down the end of the pawl against the surface of the trackway, the toboggan will tend to swing around toward that side.

It will be understood that in order that the pawl shall be at liberty to thus operate by gravity it is made heavier than the handle portion, so as to more than counterbalance the weight of the latter and the friction on its pivot. Fig. 6, so that the upper edge of the pawl, or a projection, r, thereon, shall stop against the under side of the projecting liange, so as to prevent the end of the handle (in case it should be accidentally pressed down) from extending below the bottom of the toboggan,and thereby be in danger of catching in the trackway.

I am aware ofthe fact that lever brakes and guides pivoted to the sides of toboggans and sleds are old, but the construction of these has been such that they were not adapted for the additional function of automatically preventing the toboggans or sleds from running backward under the circumstances hereinbefore recited.

I remark that the curl of the forward end of 1 the sheet may be reversed-#that is, so that the toboggan may run upon the flanges f, which would then form runners; or, if desired, the usual, flexible runners or shoes of metal or wood may be applied to thebottom of the toboggan. It may be observed that the strength i of the paper body obviates the necessity of the frame-work (or slats and cross-slats secured i together) heretofore required in all toboggans with runners or shoes with which I am acquainted.

Having thus described my invention,I claim l as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A toboggan made of compacted waterproofed paper or paper-board, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A toboggan consisting of the plane or This device is also made, as seen in Y IOO body portion and the nptnrned lateral langes or band-holds, all formed of an integral sheet of compacted and nf'aterproofed paper, paperboard, or other similar material compressed or molded into shape, Substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A toboggan formed of an integral longitudinally-corrugated sheet of compacted waterproot'ed paper, paper-board, or similar material, substantially as and 'for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with the toboggan formed ofo sheet of paper, paperboztrtbor other sinoi lai-material, and lin-ving the later. l flanges f, the cross-slots t, having their ends secured to said flanges, substantially its and for the purpose described.

iixed my signature this 8th doy of December, v

JOSHUA PUSEY.

Xlitnesses:

JN0. NOLAN, IFR-Amis S. BROWN. 

